For some, snowfall is a windfall

Area businesses that sell winter supplies say let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

By ERIC ANDERSON Business editor

Published 12:00 am, Thursday, January 13, 2011

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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Peter Ostrander, who handles customer service for Tinkers' Premium Power on Route 20 in Schodack, lines up some of the used snowblowers the shop has for sale on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. The shop is busy getting repaired snowblowers out the door and back to customers and selling their line of new and their assortment of used blowers before the winter storm hits. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Peter Ostrander, who handles customer service for Tinkers' Premium Power on Route 20 in Schodack, lines up some of the used snowblowers the shop has for sale on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. The shop is busy getting ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

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Ed Zimmerman, a technician at Tinkers' Premium Power on Route 20 in Schodack, works on a snowblower on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. The shop is busy getting snowblowers out the door and back to customers before the winter storm hits. (Paul Buckowski / Times Union) less

Ed Zimmerman, a technician at Tinkers' Premium Power on Route 20 in Schodack, works on a snowblower on Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011. The shop is busy getting snowblowers out the door and back to customers before ... more

Photo: Paul Buckowski

For some, snowfall is a windfall

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SCHENECTADY -- The snow was piling up Wednesday afternoon, and Mike Aragosa was pleased.

Aragosa, one of the owners of Marty's True Value Hardware on Van Vranken Avenue, said his store had been busy on the day before the storm as customers made sure they had enough salt, shovels and scrapers to deal with the storm.

"The first storm really gave it to us," he said. "In two days, we had 45 machines" in the shop to repair.

Vooris, too, said the recent snowfalls had given his business a boost.

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"It's great to finally get a winter like this," he said. "What a difference it makes in the economy."

He said many people who do landscaping in the summer depend on plowing jobs to get through the winter.

"If you don't get snow in the winter, they don't have anything to do," he said.

Certainly the snowstorms have an economic cost. Flights are delayed or canceled, travel plans are disrupted, the risk of accidents is greatly increased, and towns and cities face hefty snow removal bills.

Meanwhile, merchants see few shoppers, although some retail sales may be postponed, and not necessarily lost.

Hugh Johnson, the long-time observer of the region's economy and chairman and chief investment officer of Albany-based Hugh Johnson Advisors, said that while he's not aware of any research on the economic impact of snow, many businesses probably welcome a storm.

"I have a house in Vermont, and I can tell you they just love every flake and that's because of the ski business," he said. "All over New York state, there are a lot of businesses that will benefit from the weather."

The region's other Hugh Johnson, who is no relation to the first but who also observes regional data -- as a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Albany -- said snowstorms are a money-losing proposition for many.

"But a lot of people up here," he added, "depend on the snow" for their economic well-being.

Among them is Aragosa, the hardware store owner.

"We'll let them clean up this one, and then let it snow Saturday," he said. "If it does, we'll be real happy."